Shanahan Ridge and Upper Bluestem trails

Later than previous years, wildflowers are starting to bloom along 4 mile loop around Shanahan Ridge, Mesa and Upper Bluestem trail. Most obvious and abundant are Spring Beauties along the North Fork Shanahan and Nuttal’s violets along the Upper Bluestem.

Pasque flower, Pulsatilla ludoviciana, Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) on South Fork Shanahan trail with a fly.

Wavyleaf dandilion Nothocalais cuspidata, Asteraceae (sunflower). Upper Bluestem trail

Spring beauty, Claytonia rosea, Portulacaceae (Purslane).

Mouse ear chickweed, Cerastium strictum, Alsinaceae (Chickweed)

Salt and pepper, Lomatium orientale, Apiaceae (Parsley)Kinnikinnick, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Ericaceae (Heath) Shanahan ridge 04082019

Nuttall’s Violet, Viola nuttalli, Violaceae (Violet)

Oregon grape, Mahonia repens, Berberidaceae (Barberry)

Jagged chickweed, Holosteum umbellatum, Caryophyllaceae (pink family), introduced species. Lower bluestem grazed area.

Echinocereus viridiflorus (Hen-and-Chickens), Cactaceae (Cactus). spines grow in lines along longitudinal ridges. Bluestem trail

turkey vulture

Rocky Mountain National Park wildflowers, shrubs, and bugs

A close up of Purple Fringe,  Phacelia sericea.  My friend Alice found this at the Alluvial fan.  It is also called purple pincushion — imagine the long stamens with yellow anthers are the pins. For this blog, I go with USDA plant database to chose between synonyms or to ID families, so I’ll call this a Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf). But one of my favorite websites, swcoloradowildflowers.com , puts this in the Borage family.

Purple Fringe,  Phacelia sericea . At the Alluvial fan.

Darn tick! Found this when I got home. The only tick in Rocky Mountain National Park is the Rocky Mountain wood tick. I believe this is a male. According to the fact sheet linked below, these can cause Colorado Tick Fever.

RMNP tick fact sheet

Pine Tiger Moth, Lophocampa ingens, photo credit to my friend Andrew.  ID through Bugguide.net. The caterpillars make “nests” that bind together the needles on the top of a  pine tree (or some other trees) and they feed on the needles. They pupate in early summer and moths emerge in July.  Here is information from CSU: Insects that feed on trees

Northern Fairy Candelabra, Androsace septentrionalis, Primulaceae (Primrose Family). I love the name of this tiny white flower. First photo is from Aluvial fan, second and third from Aspen Glen loop trail.

All the other cool stuff! Click on photos for slideshow with ID.